I think the main point of the Kobe remark was that he isn't exactly facing the hardships that the majority of the black community faces, yet he'd still check the black box. Really, I think he was just showing an example of how you don't have to face hardships to be a certain race.

Wasn't ever saying you have to face general "hardships" to be able to identify with an ethnic group. That's why the remark carried little weight with me. In any case, as a black male, Kobe is already going to know what it's like to be a minority and specific issues (not hardships) that accompany being black, no matter how privileged he is. Anyway, I'm not interested in having an affirmative action discussion on this thread, just in case that's where it's going....

Going along the same point I think you were trying to make, you should know someone's full experience before bashing them or their decisions.

As for Kevdog, do you think Kobe has any misunderstandings as to what race/ethnicity he is? He was black in Lower Merion and he was black in Europe. And if he couldn't play ball, he'd just be a black man walking down the street.

I'm sorry, but who is half Native American? Clearly this discussion wasn't even meant for those who are half anything. If someone is half Native American, I'm sure they know that and will already mark themselves as so without asking someone.

You missed my point entirely. Race is not a matter of what you feel. It's what's in your blood, for the purposes of these applications. Look -- clearly you're going to be in my face about this, so I'm going to have to agree to disagree.

I didn't miss your point. I just didn't consider it to be a strong or relevant point to begin with. And if you think an admissions official gives half a damn that someone has a Native American great-grandmother, then you haven't got a clue. There's a big difference between half and an eighth. There's a difference between being a member of a race and having a small amount of a race within your blood.

"In your face"? Are you for real? It's a discussion within a thread on the internet. You don't even have to read it or reply. It's really not that serious, so get over yourself.

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jag227

I don't agree with the majority of you.I used to consider myself purely of royal english descent.In the past year however I learned that I am related to both the chieftans of the Chickasaw and the Cherokee tribes and that the majority of my family was descended from these tribes.

I called the Chickasaw tribe and LSAC who both confirmed that I can be considered Native American and in fact encouraged me to mark Native American on my applications, so I did.

My family is rich with native american culture, but until last year I was clueless.

Anyway, my point is this; a lot of you have preached that it is unethical to mark a race if you are not involved in its culture. That's crap. LSAC asks for your racial/ethnic identification. nothing more/nothing less. When your lines are blurred pick a race. If you qualify for both racial identifiers both are truthfull statements.

Anyway, my point is this; a lot of you have preached that it is unethical to mark a race if you are not involved in its culture. That's crap. LSAC asks for your racial/ethnic identification. nothing more/nothing less. When your lines are blurred pick a race. If you qualify for both racial identifiers both are truthfull statements.

Great post jag. Welcome! I think this very much articulates some of the points other posters were trying to get across.

Anyway, my point is this; a lot of you have preached that it is unethical to mark a race if you are not involved in its culture. That's crap. LSAC asks for your racial/ethnic identification. nothing more/nothing less. When your lines are blurred pick a race. If you qualify for both racial identifiers both are truthfull statements.

Race is not a matter of what you feel. It's what's in your blood, for the purposes of these applications.

This is utter nonsense.

So if you are half black half white, raised in an entirely white community with absolutely no access to your roots (think Johnson's Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man) are you no longer black (or if the situtation were revered and you were raised in a black community would youno longer be white)? Would you not mark both? Whether or not you identify with a race does not change he fact that it is part of your heritage and while you can select one or the othr (because you are comprised of both) the most accurate statement would be you are both.

Race is not a matter of what you feel. It's what's in your blood, for the purposes of these applications.

This is utter nonsense.

So if you are half black half white, raised in an entirely white community with absolutely no access to your roots (think Johnson's Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man) are you no longer black (or if the situtation were revered and you were raised in a black community would youno longer be white)? Would you not mark both? Whether or not you identify with a race does not change he fact that it is part of your heritage and while you can select one or the othr (because you are comprised of both) the most accurate statement would be you are both.

Race is what you feel. Without what you feel, there is no such thing as race. It is a social construct, if there ever was one. Period.